Space-block.



A. A. VARDBLL.

SPACE BLOCK.

APPLIOATIOH FILED JULY 1, 1909.

Patented Aug. 30, 1910.

WITNESSES INVENTOR Attorney ARTHUR A. VARDELL, F DALLAS, TEXAS.

SPACE-BLOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 1, 1909.

Patented Aug. 30, 1910.

Serial No. 505,537.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR A. VARDELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dallas, in the county of Dallas and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Space-Blocks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to blocks for spacing members upon a shaft or the like, and more especially to blocks made of sheet metal for the spacing upon a shaft of saws used 1n cotton gins.

My invention consists generally of a circular block comprising a central core, upon which are radially arranged substantially U-shaped members forming the body and periphery of the same.

Spacing blocks which are now in use, are made of wood or cast-iron. The wooden blocks often warp, shrink, or break up, on account of the heat and friction to which they are subjected, this being a great disadvantage in the use of the same. Castiron spacing blocks are very expensive to manufacture, liable to constant breakage, and are very heavy.

An object of my invention therefore is to overcome the above difliculties by producing a block made of sheet-metal, which will be strong, durable, light and cheap to manu facture.

A further object of my invention is to produce spacing blocks of the character described, which may be easily manufactured to have the same thickness.

In the accompanying drawings in which the preferred embodiment of my invention is disclosed, Figure l is a side view of my spacing block. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken upon the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of two of the U- shaped members of the block, showing the means for locking each to the other. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of the inner core. Fig. 5 is a plan view of a piece of sheetmetal, after the same has been stamped out but before it has been bent, into one of the U- ,shaped members. Fig. 6 is a plan view of a section of sheet-metal after the same has been stamped out, and illustrating the manner in which sections similar to the section shown in Fig. 5 may be produced. Fig. 7 is a front view of a plurality of saws mounted upon a suitably supported shaft,

and showing my spacing block arranged between the saws.

In the drawings 1 designates a ringshaped central core which is provided upon the periphery thereof with the radially arranged spaced notches 2 extending entirely therearound. A plurality of substantially U-shaped spacing members 3 are arranged upon the core 1 in a manner hereinafter to be described. Each of the substantially U- shaped spacing members 3 is formed of a single section of sheet-metal, at the ends of which are the notches l, which are adapted to fit within notches 2 upon the core 1 and to contain a portion of the core 1. Each of the substantially U-shaped members 3 comprises sides 5 and 6, the side 5 being provided with the aperture 7 and the side 6 with the stamped out tongue 8.

By reference to Fig. 1 it will readily be seen that the sides 5 and 6 of the substantially U-shaped members are arranged radially around the core 1 in contact with each other and longitudinally of the axis of said core. Each of the said substantially U- shaped members are arranged so that the side 5 of the same will engage the side 6 of the similar member in contact with it, or vice versa. The sides 5 and 6 thus in contact with each other are adapted to fit within the notches 2 upon the core 1, and the notches 1 are adapted to contain a portion of the said core 1.

In order that the sides 5 and 6 of each of the substantially U-shaped members 3 may be locked together, the tongue 8 of the side 6 is inserted through the aperture 7 upon the side 5 and bent down as clearly shown in Fig. 3. Thus all of the substantially U- shaped members 3 are locked together at the outer extremity audit will be impossible for them to come apart, and the sections of material joining the sides 5 and 6 of the said substantially U-shaped members 3 form the periphery of the device.

Having fully described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A device of the character described comprising a central core, a plurality of substantially U-shaped spacing members arranged around said core and corresponding sides of the same adapted to form the periphery of said device, said substantially U- shaped members being in engagement with each other and means for locking said members each to the other.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a central core, a plurality of substantially U-shaped members arranged around said core and in engagement with each other, said substantially U-shaped members having interlocking engagement with said core, and means for locking said substantially U-shaped members each to the other.

3. A device of the character described, comprising a central core, a plurality of substantially U-shaped members arranged around and connected to said core and in engagement with each other, said U-shaped members having interlocking engagement with said core, each of said U-shaped members comprising spaced sides, one of said spaced sides being provided with an aperture and the other of said spaced sides being provided with a tongue, whereby said U-shaped members may be locked each to the other.

4. A device of the character described, comprising a central core provided with a plurality of notches, a plurality of substantially U-shaped members arranged around said core and in engagement with each other, each of said substantially U-shaped members comprising spaced sides provided with notches at the extremities for interlocking with said core by means of said notches carried by the same, one of said spaced sides being provided with an aperture, and the other of said spaced sides beingprovided with a tongue, whereby said members may be locked each to the other.

5. A device of the character described, comprising a core, a plurality of substantially U-shaped spacing members arranged around said core, the sides of said spacing member being radially disposed and longitudinally arranged with relation to the axis of said core, and means for locking said substantially U-shaped members in engagement with each other.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR A. VARDELL.

Witnesses:

D. V. HAMMETT, W. L. HANCOCK. 

